Chapter 163 Chapter 163

Chapter 163 Chapter 163
Carlota’s POV

The forest went silent. It was not the calm kind of silence and definitely not the peaceful kind. This was the kind that pressed against my ears until my head rang, like the world itself was holding its breath.

The remnants of the council stood at the edge of the clearing, their robes torn, their faces pale. Blood Moon light bled through the trees, staining everything red. I could feel it now, deep in my bones. The moon wasn’t just watching anymore.

It was answering. The air split open in front of us.

Silver light poured out first, blinding and sharp. Then shadow followed, thick and heavy, twisting around the light like it was alive. The ground trembled as something stepped through.

It rose from the forest floor, tall and wrong, shaped like a wolf but not flesh. Its body was made of glowing silver lines and moving darkness, like moonlight trapped inside a nightmare. Its eyes burned white, empty and endless.

I felt it before it spoke.

The pressure hit my chest, my head, my heart. My knees almost buckled, but I forced myself to stand. Gabriel moved closer on one side. Paxton on the other. I didn’t look at them, but I felt them there, solid and real.

The thing opened its mouth. Its voice wasn’t sound. It was inside me.

“You were never meant to rule.”

My vision blurred. Memories flashed: pain, running, hiding, surviving. Every time I had been told to stay quiet. “I tried to hide my powers all these years even as a Delta wolf. I didn't want any trouble and I wanted only to live a simple life, but what did I get in the end?”

“You were meant to end.” The voice kept ringing in my head and it only made me more angry.

My mark burned like fire. I gasped, fingers digging into my chest as power surged through me, wild and furious. The forest reacted instantly. Trees bent, leaves shook and the ground cracked under my feet.

I stepped forward anyway. My legs were shaking, but my voice wasn’t.

“Then I guess the moon made a mistake. I never asked to be chosen anyway and now you want me to be ended? Why should I listen to what you have to say? No one gets to decide my life for me.”

The creature tilted its head, as if curious. As if I was nothing more than a flaw it hadn’t expected. “I'm not supposed to be controlling the moon I guess the moon couldn't wait anymore since I couldn't be controlled anymore the best way was to bring something else to end me.”

Then it attacked. The world felt it exploded.

Silver light slammed into the ground where I had stood a second earlier. I dove to the side as the earth split open, a deep crack running through the clearing. Heat rushed past my face. My ears rang and I could feel that my body was in pain.

Gabriel shifted instantly, his wolf bursting free with a roar that shook the trees. Paxton followed a heartbeat later, golden eyes flashing as his claws tore into the dirt.

“Stay behind us!” Gabriel shouted.

I didn’t listen to him anyway. This was my fight and he wanted me to stay behind them. Whatever anything happened to them, what's the use of me having this power anyway?

The mark flared, bright enough to hurt. Power ripped through me, raw and untamed. I threw my hands forward without thinking, and a wave of force blasted out, slamming into the creature’s chest.

It staggered, but it didn’t fall. It laughed like what I did was just something that could scratch his body only. The sound crawled under my skin.

“You carry two bonds,” it said inside my head. “That alone is an error.”

The shadow around it lashed out, striking Paxton and throwing him into a tree. He hit hard, the sound of cracking wood sharp and sickening. As if that wasn't enough it went for Gabriel also and did the same thing to him. I just couldn't take it anymore.

“No!” I screamed.

Something snapped inside me. The power answered instantly.

The ground erupted around the creature, stone and roots shooting upward like spears. Silver light shattered against them, sparks raining down like burning snow. I could feel everything now, it was overwhelming and unwanted at the same time.

“They weren’t afraid of me, they were waiting for me?”

The creature lunged again, faster this time. Gabriel stood up and leapt, claws tearing through silver light, but the shadow wrapped around him and slammed him down again. He hit the ground hard, not moving.

Panic clawed at my throat. I was confused and angry at the same time. I was trembling and trying to be steady so that I could think clearly. He already hurt Paxton and now he did the same thing to Gabriel, he would kill them this way if I don't do anything.

“This is what you were made for,” the voice whispered. “An ending.”

I shook my head, tears burning my eyes.

“No,” I whispered. “I was made to survive.”

I reached inward. I'm not going to be a sacrifice for anyone. This is my life and no one gets to tell me what to do with it—not even the moon. My fate is mine to decide.

The power changed. It wasn’t wild anymore. It was mine completely now and strangely enough I could control it to the extent that this creature was lost for words.

Light and shadow poured out of me together, not fighting, not tearing me apart. They moved like breath, like blood in my veins. The mark on my chest burned white-hot, then settled into a steady glow.

I lifted my hands. The creature froze. I could see the look in its eyes, it looked uncertain.

“This is not how it was written,” it hissed.

I met its empty gaze. “Then stop reading old lies.”

The air screamed as magic surged. The forest shook. The final battle had begun, I wasn't going to lose this time.

“Bring it on you bastard! I'm ready to deal with you and I'm going to end you today!” I shouted. “Everyone, attack!!!”